Arsenal Transfer Latest on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Willian & Philippe Coutinho

It's that time of the year again. Well, sort of, as normally this would be the closing stages of the transfer window, but times have changed and all that, so it is what it is.

The age of transfer rumours being kept out of the public eye and only revealed on the day of the actual signing is over. For Arsenal it's no different, as every man and his dog is aware of who they're looking at this summer.

To build on a miserable eighth place finish in the Premier League last time out, additions must be made. The tiny budget won't make that easy, but the club have earmarked who they after. Along with a few incomings, there is also the necessity to extend the contracts of those already donning the red and white. All in all, much to do.

Here's the latest.

Willian & Philippe Coutinho

It's no secret that money is tight across (almost) all clubs this summer due to the financial strain caused by the coronavirus outbreak, therefore free transfers and loan deals will be a common occurrence over the coming weeks. Arsenal, tight on money already, are no different.

The free agent market is crucial for clubs on a shoestring budget, with Chelsea's Willian among those interesting a host of sides. Of all interested parties, Arsenal are leading the surge. So much so that the Telegraph state that a deal to bring him to north London is 'close'.

An unwillingness to extend his Blues' stay with the offer of a two-year deal, Arsenal's proposal of a three-year contract with the option of a further 12 months is what looks set to seal the deal.

His base salary will be lower than what he earns at Stamford Bridge, but the added length of the contract will more than make up for that - especially with lucrative bonuses based on appearances and success inserted into the deal. At this point it appears the move looks inevitable, barring any last minute change of heart from the 32-year-old.

With regards to Coutinho - a player also represented by Kia Joorabchian who has close ties to the Gunners - the same outlet claim a move for the forward is nearing its conclusion. Given the Gunners' finances the deal will not be a permanent one, but instead a 12-month loan.

Coutinho is ready for a return to England after over three years away, with Arsenal looking to share half of the Brazilian's current £240,000-a-week wages with Barcelona in order to bring him to the Emirates Stadium. While only a loan, the deal will still be costly, amounting to roughly £10m in fees and salary.

The club just recently announced they will make redundancies due to the impact of COVID-19, with some believing that this may slow down any potential summer moves, however, the club stated that their plans in the transfer market would remain in tact. In other words, nothing has changed in regards to Willian and Coutinho.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

As if there wasn't enough reason for supporters to be desperate to keep hold of their captain already, Aubameyang's two-goal starring role in the FA Cup final further accentuated his importance to Arsenal's future.

The issue been swirling in the air for some time, as the Gabon striker is yet to commit his future to Arsenal long-term with just 12 months left to run on his contract. Mikel Arteta has spoken openly about his confidence that the striker will pen fresh terms, but Fabrizio Romano has offered a different insight into Aubameyang's current situation. He states that the offer is on the table, but the 31-year-old is waiting to see whether offers from other clubs come in, namely Barcelona.

"Yes they are talking and it's up to Aubameyang because the contract has been offered to Auba many months ago, they did what they can, they offered him an important contract and he's going to decide soon," he told The Beautiful Game Podcast.

"He is also considering the possibility of staying at Arsenal, because they're doing everything to let him stay at the club, Arteta, all the board, Edu, they are calling him everyday. There is a good possibility he will stay. He was also waiting to see if other top clubs would offer him a contract, like Barcelona if they don't get Lautaro [Martinez] or from other clubs. But at the moment, nobody has made a bid for Aubameyang."

Naturally for a player of his calibre, the chance to make one big move at the end of his career is an avenue Aubameyang is pursuing. Clubs' finances have taken a severe knock of late, hence the lack of activity, so the Gunners must now play the waiting game to see if he accepts the terms offered to him.

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